The present invention relates to liquid flow control devices, and more particularly to such devices for obtaining a liquid sample.
In the past, drainage bags have been used to collect urine from a patient during catheterization. According to standard procedures, a catheter is positioned in the urethra of the patient, and urine drains through the catheter and a drainage tube, which is connected to the catheter, into a chamber in the bag for collection therein. Although such bags may satisfactorily collect the urine, it may be necessary to periodically obtain a small urine sample for purposes of analysis, and the prior art bags have rendered such a sampling procedure relatively difficult. For example, such bags have been commonly provided with a drain tube having a clamp or valve which is designed primarily to drain all of the collected urine from the bag through the drain tube. When it is desired to obtain a sample, a suitable receptacle is positioned beneath the drain tube and the clamp or valve is opened. However, prior clamps and valves used for this purpose are difficult to manipulate with one hand, and when opened, permit passage of an amount of liquid which is excessive for sampling purposes. Thus, it is desirable that a relatively small quantity of urine sample may be obtained during catheterization, while also permitting rapid drainage of the bag when catheterization has been completed.